Day 275: IDF strikes municipal building used by Hamas terrorists in Khan Younis, UNRWA school used by terrorists in central Gaza

Israel Defense Forces on Sunday reported striking a municipality building in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, after Israeli troops observed Hamas terrorists using the building. 

Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft, acting on intelligence from the Shin Bet and Southern Command, “struck the Khan Younis municipality building in the Gaza Strip, which was used by Hamas for military activity,” the IDF stated. “The building contained an operational shaft connected to an underground route and served as a gathering place for the organization's terrorists.” 

According to the IDF, several measures were taken before the airstrike to reduce the risk of harm to civilians, including an evacuation.

Following an alert activated in the area surrounding Nahal Oz near the Gaza Strip this morning, and the identification of a launch from the Shejaiya area, the 98th Division directed an airstrike to eliminate the terrorist and destroy the building from which the launch originated.

On Saturday evening, the IDF said it carried out strikes in a UNRWA facility in central Gaza after attacks on its troops were launched from the site. 

“The IAF struck several terrorists operating in structures located in the area of UNRWA's Al-Jaouni School in the central Gaza Strip,” the IDF said. “This location served as a hideout and operational infrastructure from which attacks against IDF troops operating in the Gaza Strip were directed and carried out.” 

The military stated that “numerous steps were taken in order to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise aerial surveillance and additional intelligence.” 

Based on IDF and ISA intelligence, the IAF struck several terrorists operating in structures located in the area of @UNRWA’s Al-Jaouni School in central Gaza.

This location served as both a hideout and operational infrastructure from which attacks against IDF troops operating… pic.twitter.com/XOaDQygm83

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 6, 2024

Over the past day, IDF troops eliminated several terrorists, destroyed Hamas infrastructure, and located numerous weapons, including explosive devices, AK-47 rifles, machine guns and pistols in Shejaiya, the military reported. 

The IDF said its troops will continue “a targeted, intelligence-based operational activity in the Rafah area in southern Gaza.” According to the IDF, troops eliminated over 30 terrorists in close-quarter encounters and IAF strikes. The IAF also destroyed a ready-to-use rocket launcher in the area. 

The IDF Spokesperson's Office reported: “The Hamas terrorist organization operates from within the humanitarian area and systematically violates international law, exploiting civilian structures and population as human shields for its terror attacks against the State of Israel. The IDF will continue to operate against terrorists and terror infrastructure.” 

At the time of publication, Palestinian news sources reported the death of Hamas government official Ihab al-Jousin, head of the Gaza Labor Ministry, during an Israeli airstrike in western Gaza City.

As Israelis await the results of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a hostage release deal, the IDF has continued to conduct limited, intelligence-based strikes on Hamas locations throughout the Gaza Strip.